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Trump and RFK Jr.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks quietly to President Donald Trump during a news conference about autism (Tom Brenner/Getty Images)

Kimberly-Clark to buy Tylenol maker Kenvue, target of Trump’s autism attacks, in a deal worth $48.7 billion

Shares of Kimberly-Clark dropped sharply on the news, while Kenvue jumped.

Giant American drugmaker Kimberly-Clark said it is set to buy Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol whose stock has been pummeled by allegations from the Trump administration that its signature pain reliever causes autism, in a deal with an enterprise value of $48.7 billion.

Shares of Kimberly-Clark fell 15% premarket on the news, while Kenvue rose 20%. 

Right off the bat, the deal could have a couple of obstacles standing in its way. Most notable would be the Trump administration, which could take aim at the merger, though the White House hasn’t commented on the deal yet.

And Kimberly-Clark’s precipitous stock drop already eats into the value that Kenvue shareholders would get in the deal: factoring in this morning’s premarket drop from Kimberly-Clark, the deal would value Kenvue at $18.42 a share. 

That’s below the $21.01-a-share consideration in the deal announcement for Kenvue, based on Friday’s closing prices. Kenvue’s stock was at $20.54 in early September before The Wall Street Journal broke the news that the Trump administration was planning to link Tylenol to autism. The stock has fallen 30% since then.

The companies said they have identified about $1.9 billion in cost savings in the first three years after the deal closes, which they expect to happen in the second half of 2026. The companies also said they had identified “approximately $500 million in incremental profit from revenue synergies.”

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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Rocket Lab deal lifts space stocks

Shares of Rocket Lab are surging after announcing an $8 billion acquisition of satellite communications operator Iridium Communications, helping lift a broader basket of space-related stocks as investors piled back into the sector.

Planet Labs, AST SpaceMobile and Redwire all traded higher alongside Rocket Lab, extending gains in an industry that has drawn enhanced investor attention in recent months in light of the strategic importance that governments place on space and satellite communications infrastructure.

In a presentation, Rocket Lab’s management called the purchase “a shortcut” for its satellite communications business.

Under the terms of the agreement, Iridium shareholders will receive $27 in cash and Rocket Lab stock, valuing Iridium at $54 per share. Backed by a $3.6 billion bridge loan committed by Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo, Rocket Lab absorbs Iridium’s globally licensed spectrum and an active base of 2.5 million subscribers.

Rocket Lab has also remained one of the most active launch providers in the sector. The company completed its 12th launch of the year last week, maintaining one of the highest launch cadences among commercial space companies.

Today's rally helps offset a brutal stretch for the group. Rocket Lab shares had fallen over 35% over the prior month, while Planet Labs stock was down more than 40% and AST SpaceMobile stock was down around 30% over the same window.

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Jake Lahut

Comcast shares rise on news of NBCUniversal spinoff deal

Comcast rose on the news that the telecom behemoth is spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky from its cable portfolio. 

Comcast initially jumped up to 17% in early trading, with the deal leaving management to focus on its core verticals of cable, wireless, and business services. 

NBCUniversal and Sky will form a new publicly traded company, similar to Versant Media, the holding company of CNBC and MS NOW that Comcast officially spun off in January. Bravo, one of the most lucrative properties that remained at Comcast, will remain part of NBCUniversal in the deal. The Universal theme parks and studios will also come with the new spinoff entity, along with Telemundo and Peacock.

Mike Cavanagh, the co-CEO of Comcast, will become the CEO for NBCUniversal, according to CNBC. 

The spinoff will be completed in about a year, according to a Comcast company statement. Its shareholders will also own shares in NBCUniversal, according to the same statement.

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